Coin separator



United States Patent O 3,277,903 COIN SEPARATUR riihornas J. Ganatsiou, 17 Pond Lane, Trumbull, Coun. Filed Aug. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 481,707 9 Claims. (Cl. 133-3) This invention relates generally to improvements in coin separating devices and more particularly to a coin separating device for mechanically agitating a batch of mixed denomination coins and for separating the coins into groups of coins of like denomination.

There exists a need for a relatively small and compact coin separating device which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture and sell, and yet which rapidly and accurately separates a large quantity of mixed denomination coins into groups of like denomination. Small business establishments, religious and charitable institutions, small scale vending machine distributors, and proprietors of amusement park activities are but a few of the many and varied commercial enterprises or nonprofit organizations where large -quantities of coins are collected in the course of ordinary business, but where the nature of the operation does not warrant the purchase of one of the many relatively complicated and expensive automatic coin sorting and counting machines which are presently available. In these enterprises coins of various denomination must lirst be manually segregated before they can be counted and wrapped, this being very time consuming, burdensome and often inaccurate where relatively large quantities of coins are involved.

Accordingly, it is a principal general object of the present invention to provide a coin separating device particularly suited for use in the above-mentioned and other like operations and which is designed and constructed to be both economically appealing and functionally attractive to the proprietors or managers of such operations.

A more specific object of the present invention lis to provide a relatively simple, highly portable and easily operated `device for agitating and mechanically separating a batch of mixed coins into groups of like denomination, and which will maintain the coins segregated into the respective groups until removed from the device.

Another object is to provide a -coin separating device in which coins are simultaneously agitated for separation and stored for removal once they are separated.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coin separating device in which the greatest possible agitating effect is achieved by rapidly shifting or moving the coins both in horizontal nad vertical directions simultaneously, that is, by imparting compound motion to the coins.

A significant feature of the present invention is the provision of a plurality of relatively movable coin sorting sieves, and means for moving any two adjacent sieves in opposite directions relative to each other so that coins falling from a sieve moving in one direction fall upon t-he next lower sieve moving in the opposite direction thereby still further increasing the agitating effect upon the coins.

These and other objects and features are achieved by the present invention, one embodiment of which cornprises generally a plurality of substantially tray shaped sieves having openings sized according to the diameters of the various denominations of coins. The sieves are removably received in stacked vertically spaced alignment in a supporting framework w-hioh has means for guiding the sieves in a generally horizontal path, the framework also supporting actuating mechanism for rapidly shifting the sieves back and forth to agitate or violently jog the coins. The actuating mechanism is constructed and arranged to shift any two adjacent sieves in opposite directions so that the vertical orientation of the holes in one 3,277,9@3 Patented @et Il, M366 ice sieve relative to the holes in an adjacent sieve is continuously altered. The guiding means and the actuating mechanism are preferably so oriented relative to each ,other that the sieves are moved partly in a linear path while being supported by the guiding means and partly in an arcuate path while being supported by the actuating means, osthat the sievest ing means, so that the sieves are alternately lifted off of the guiding means and dropped back thereupon, thereby agitating t-he coins both horizontally and vertically at the same time.

The general nature and specic detail of the present invention will be more readily apparent and understood Ifrom a consideration of the following detailed description thereof when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of a coin sorting sieve of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side View, partly in section, of the device of the present invention with a plurality of the sieves of FIG. 1 in position for use; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken on t-he line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. l, there is shown a coin sorting sieve 10 which comprises a generally rectangular frame 12 having a Abottom 14 which is perforated to provide openings 16. The openings 16 are sized slightly smaller than the diameter of the coin which it is desired to retain on the sieve, but large enough to permit coins of smaller diameter to pass therethrough, as is well known in the art.

The sieve 10 is provided with outwardly projecting spaced apart pins i8 or other suitable support on both sides, and downwardly and inwardly inclined baffle plates 20 are mounted on the underside of the ends of the frame 12. A pair of generally triangular shaped lugs 22 are centrally disposed on the undersurface of the sides of t-he frame 12, each lug having a recess 24, all for a purpose to be hereinafter made clear.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the device further comprises a support means for removably receiving and vertically stacking a plurality of the above described sieves, the support means preferably taking the form of a substantially rectangular frame 26 having a bottom wall 28 and oppositely facing side walls 30 and 32. The latter are provided with combined abutment-support members, as will be more apparent hereinbelow, which are elongate rails 34, 36, 38 and 40 numbered from top to bottom, and which are disposed in vertically spaced relationship for supporting a sieve 10 by means of the pins 18 thereon.

In the embodiment shown, and for practical purposes for use with United States coins, there are four sieves sized to retain half dollars, quarters, nickels and pennies respectively; a non-perforated tray 42 is disposed on the bottom 28 of the frame to receive dimes. The invention is not limited to this construction, however, since it is applicable to any currency system having any number of different size coins. Also, as will be yhereinafter made clear, the sieves are readily replaceable in the device for adaptation of the device to any currency system.

The device is provided with an actuating mechanism for violently moving the several sieves to agitate or jog the contents thereof and cause the coins to fall to an appropriate sieve where they will be retained for removal. In the illustrated embodiment where there are four sieves, an upstanding actuating lever or handle 44 is pivotally mounted on the frame side 32 by the mounting means 46 which is centrally located between the upper and lower pair of sieves. A pair of links 48 and 50 are pivotally mounted on the frame side 32 by mounting means 52 and 54 located respectively between each sieve of the lower and upper pair. The lower link 48 is connected at its lower end 56 to the handle 44, and the upper link Sti is connected at its upper end 58 to the handle 44. By this construction, it is apparent that oscillation of the handle 44 a-but its pivot mount 46 causes a corresponding rotary oscillation of each of the links 48 and S0 about their respective pivot mounts 52 and 54, so that opposite ends of each link oscillate in opposite horizontal directions with the result that any pair of adjacent link ends move in opposite horizontal directions relative to each other.

A corresponding set of links 60 and 62 are similarly mounted as at pivot points 64 and 66 on the opposite frame side 30. If desired, another actuating handle may be provided on the frame side 30, or the actuating handle 44 may be in the form of a bail extending across the top from side to side.

The sieves are reciprocated and partially supported by actuating memibers in the form of rods 68, 70, 72 and 74 which extend between the upper and lower ends of the respective pairs of links 58-62 and 48-60. These rods extend through elongate slots 75 provided in the Side members 30 and 32 and are carried by the links and moved thereby in arcuate paths as indicated by the dotted lines 76 and 78 in FIG. 2. The rods are received by the recess 24 in the lugs 22 of each sieve for moving the latter.

As best seen in FIG. 2, there is a particular structural relationship between the position of the abutment-support rails 34. 36, 38 and 40, the location of the pins 18 on each sieve, and the location of the arcuate paths 76 and 78 followed by the actuating rods. Assuming the parts to be in the positions shown in FIG. 2, the rod 68 is disposed at the lowermost point in its path of travel and that the top sieve is resting on the rails 34 by means of the pins 18. On the other hand, the next lower rod 70 is disposed in the uppermost point in its path of travel and is supporting the sieve so that its pins 18 are above the rail 36.

As the handle is moved toward the left as viewed in FIG. 2, the rod 68 traverses the arcuate path 76 and after a short movement engages the top of the recess 24 in the uppermost sieve and lifts the sieve off the rails 34. As the rod 68 approaches its opposite end position, it drops the sieve back upon the rail 34.

Similarly, as the handle 44 is moved toward the left, the rod 70 moves toward the right along the arcuate path 78, and shortly drops the sieve with its pins 18 into contact with the rails 36; the sieve then rides along the rails until it is again lifted off near the opposite end of the stroke. This action is duplicated Iby the two lowermost sieves moved by the rods 72 and 74.

Thus, the actuating mechanism is constructed and arranged to impart a compound motion to the sieves as the handle is rapidly moved between the solid and dotted line positions shown in FIG. 2. Firstly, the sieves are reciprocated ba-ck and forth in a generally horizontal direction, with 'any adjacent pair of sieves being moved in opposite directions relative to each other. The effect of this movement is that the openings 16 of the adjacent sieves have a particular vertical orientation with respect to each other with the sieves in any stationary position, and this orientation is being continuously altered. Thus coins passing through the openings in a sieve moving in one direction fall upon the next lower sieve moving in the opposite direction, thereby serving to iiip the coins or otherwise so move them as to tend to prevent bridging of larger coins under smaller ones.

Secondly, as the several sieves are alternately lifted off the abutment-support rails and dropped back thereupon, the coins are jarred and agitated in a vertical direction in addition to the jogging effect imparted to the coins merely by the violent reciprocatory movement of the sieves.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the downwardly inclined bafvfies 20 serve to channel the falling coins toward the center of the sieves and prevent coins from falling oif the -end of a lower sieve when it is projecting beyond the end Aof an upper sieve.

Referring to FIG. 1, the lugs 22 are each provided with slanting surfaces 79 and 80 which facilitate inserting the sieves in the supporting frame 26 and on their respective actuating rods. One of these surfaces rides up the rod until the recess 24 drops down over the rod. Thus the sieves are readily removalble without the use of any tools, and it should be noted that other sieves may be substituted for those removed.

If desired, the linkage system can be mounted inside the frame side members 30 and 32 so that only the handle 44 projects outside the frame. Also, it is not necessary that the actuating rods extend from side to side of the frame if the handle 44 is made in the form of a bail so that there is a similar -actuating handle for each side.

The invention disclosed herein is not to be considered as limited to `the specific embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings, this being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and 'being susceptible 4to modication of isize, form, detail and arrangement of parts, t-he invention being intended to cover all such variations and modifications thereof as may be deemed to lbe within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A coin separator comprising: a plurality of sieves each having a plurality of openings sized to prevent a coin of a particular diameter from passing therethrough but permitting ycoins of a smaller diameter to pass therethrough, support means for removably receiving said sieves therewithin in stacked vertically spaced alignment, said support means having 4means for guiding said sieves for movement in a generally horizontal direction and for supporting said sieves during at least a portion of said movement, the sieves being arranged in a descending order of sieves having progressively smaller openings with the openings in one sieve having a particular vertical orientation with respect to the openings in an adjacent sieve when the sieves are stationary, and actuating means mounted on said support means for shifting said sieves in said generally horizontal direction to violently jog the contents thereof and including relatively movable means for shifting any adjacent pair of sieves relative to each other in opposite directions and alternate sieves in the same direction to continuously alter the vertical orientation of the openings in each sieve with respect to the openings in an adjacent sieve whereby coins passing through the moving openings of one sieve will fall upon the next lower sieve while the latter is moving in the opposite direction.

2. A coin separator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes -means for causing said relatively movable means to travel in arcuate paths, and said guiding means are disposed in vertically spaced relation to said arcuate paths such that said relatively movable means support said sieves during a portion of said movement of said sieves to cause the latter to be shifted in a corresponding arcuate path.

3. A coin separator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a plurality of vertically spaced relatively movable actuating members, one for each sieve, drivingly connected to said sieves, individual linkage means interconnecting pairs of adjacent actuating members, means pivot-ally connecting each of said linkage means to said support means about a point intermediate the actuating members of said pairs thereof, and means interconnecting each of said linkage means for simultaneously oscillating the latter in the same rotary direction whereby each of said actuating members oscillates simultaneously in an arcuate path but in a direction opposite to that of an adjacent actuating member.

4. A coin separator as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said sieves comprises a substantially rectangular frame, a perforated bottom defining said openings supported by said frame, and means on said frame for removably engaging said actuating members whereby said sieves are shifted in response to the oscillation of said actuating members.

5. A coin separator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said engaging means on said sieves are centrally located thereof in the direction of reciprocation of the sieves, and further including coacting indiviual abutment means on said support means and each of said sieves, said abutment means being so spaced in vertical relation to the arcuate path of movement of said actuating members as to support said sieves during a portion of each reciprocating movement and to cause said actuating members to support said sieves during another portion of each reciprocating movement whereby each sieve is lifted off of its associated abutment means and carried in in arcuate path during said other portion of each reciprocating movement and thereafter dropped back upon its abutment means whereby said sieves are jarred vertically while being reciprocated horizontally.

6. A coin separator as set forth in claim S wherein said abutment means comprises a plurality of horizontally eX- tending vertically spaced guide rails and means on said sieves for engaging said guide rails and for sliding therealong when said guide rails are supporting said sieves.

7. A coin separator as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said sieves further includes oppositely disposed downwardly and inwardly inclined baille plates for directing falling coins toward the center of the next lower sieve.

8. A coin separator comprising a supporting frame having a bottom wall and oppositely facing upstanding side walls, said frame being open at the top and at opposite ends and further having upper and lower pairs of horizontal guide `rails mounted on the inner surfaces of both said opposite side walls, each opposed set of guide rails being disposed in equi-distant vertically spaced apart relationship, a plurality of tray-like sieves, one for each set of opposed guide rails, removably supported within said frame, said sieves having means coacting with said guide rails for movably supporting said sieves thereon for movement in a generally horizontal direction, means on the underside of said sieves for removably engaging an actuating member for moving said sieves, and a perforated bottom with openings sized to prevent a coin of a particular diameter from passing therethrough but permitting coins of a smaller diameter to pass therethrough, said sieves being arranged in said frame in a descending order of sieves having progressively smaller openings with the openings of one sieve having a particular vertical orientation with respect to the openings in an adjacent sieve when the sieves are stationary, and actuating means for rapidly shifting said sieves in said generally horizontal direction to violently agitate the contents thereof, said actuating means comprising an upper and lower set of oppositely disposed links centrally pivotally mounted on said opposite side walls respectively intermediate said upper pair and said lower pair of said guide rails, upper and lower pairs of actuating members connected to opposite ends of said sets of upper and lower links and adapted to be moved in arcuate paths in response to oscillation of said links about their centers, said actuating members being drivingly engaged with said engaging means on said sieves when the latter are received in said frame, and an elongate bar pivotally mounted on one of said side walls centrally intermediate said upper and lower sets of links, said bar also being pivotally connected to the upper end of at least one of said upper set of links and to the lower end of at least one of said lower set of links, said bar extending above said frame and constituting an actuating handle, whereby when said bar is oscillated about its center, said upper and lower sets of links are `oscillated about their respective centers in the same rotary direction so that any adjacent pair of actuating members and corresponding sieves connected thereto are moved in opposite directions relative to each other to continuously alter the vertical orientation of the openings in any said adjacent pair of sieves.

9. A coin separator as set forth in claim 8 wherein each set of oppositely disposed guide rails is so spaced in vertical relationship with the arcuate path of movement of a corresponding actuating member for the sieve supported by a set of guide rails so as to cause said actuating member to lift said sieve off of said guide rails during a portion of the generally horizontal lmovement of the sieve and carry the latter through an arcuate path and thereafter drop the sieve back upon the guide rails whereby the sieves are moved with va compound motion which jogs the contents thereof in horizontal and vertical directions simultaneously.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1920 Rogers 133-3 6/1922 Martin 133-3 

1. A COIN SEPARATOR COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF SIEVES EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS SIZED TO PREVENT A COIN OF A PARTICULAR DIAMETER FROM PASSING THERETHROUGH BUT PERMITTING COINS OF A SMALLER DIAMETER TO PASS THERETHROUGH, SUPPORT MEANS FOR REMOVABLY RECEIVING SAID SIEVES THEREWITHIN IN STACKED VERTICALLY SPACED ALIGNMENT, SAID SUPPORT MEANS HAVING MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID SIEVES FOR MOVEMENT IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL DIRECTION AND FOR SUPPORTING SAID SIEVES DURING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID MOVEMENT, THE SIEVES BEING ARRANGED IN A DESCENDING ORDER OF SIEVES HAVING PROGRESSIVELY SMALLER OPENINGS WITH THE OPENINGS IN ONE SIEVE HAVING A PARTICULAR VERTICAL ORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE OPENINGS IN AN ADJACENT SIEVE WHEN THE SIEVES ARE STATIONARY, AND ACTUATING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID SIEVES IN SAID GENERALLY HORIZONTAL DIRECTION TO VIOLENTLY JOG THE CONTENTS THEREOF AND INCLUDING RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEANS FOR SHIFTING ANY ADJACENT PAIR OF SIEVES RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND ALTERNATE SIVES IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO CONTINUOUSLY ALTER THE VERTICAL ORIENTATION OF THE OPENINGS IN EACH SIEVE WITH RESPECT TO THE OPENINGS IN AN ADJACENT SIEVE WHEREBY COINS PASSING THROUGH THE MOVING OPENINGS OF ONE SIEVE WILL FALL UPON THE NEXT LOWER SIEVE WHILE THE LATTER IS MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. 